 "'Indelible stain, unprecedented antisemitic hate crime': Netanyahu denounces ICC warrants expected against Israeli leaders")
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denounced the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants expected against him and other Israeli political and military leaders.
In a speech on Sunday, Netanyahu termed the ICC warrants as “indelible stain” on international law and humanity. He said that the warrants would be “unprecedented antisemitic hate crime” which would further fuel antisemitism in the world.
Netanyahu’s comments come amid reports that Israeli leaders have been alarmed in recent days that warrants could be issued against them. The warrants pertain to Israeli actions related to the Palestinians over the past three years and in the ongoing war in Gaza as well. Besides Netanyahu, those expected to be indicted include Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israeli military’s Chief-of-Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi.
‘Even if Israel is forced to stand alone, we will stand alone’
Netanyahu said that Israel will stand alone and defend itself if it has to.
Speaking at the Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at the Yad Vashem memorial in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said that Jews are again facing threats of destruction today.
“If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone…Today, we again confront enemies bent on our destruction…I say to the leaders of the world, no amount of pressure, no decision by any international forum, will stop Israel from defending itself,” said Netanyahu, as per AFP.
Netanyahu further said that any warrants against Israeli leaders would be “distortion of justice and history”. He said the ICC was founded as a consequence of the Holocaust and now it should not undermine the fundamental right of Israel of self-defence.
The Holocaust refers to the systematic killing of more than 6 million Jews in Europe during the World War II by the Nazi Germany.
Previously, Netanyahu had said that the ICC’s actions against Israel “will pour jet fuel on the fires of antisemitism”.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Branding Israel’s leaders and soldiers as war criminals will pour jet fuel on the fires of antisemitism. Those fires that are already raging on the campuses of America and across capitals around the world,” said Netanyahu, as per The Jerusalem Post.
What we know of ICC’s action against Israel
Formally, the ICC has not yet commented on reports that arrest warrants are expected against Israeli leaders.
Reports, however, have said that Israeli leaders have been alarmed lately that arrest warrants against them are imminent. Netanyahu has reportedly raised the issue with US President Joe Biden and US senators have also taken up the issue with the ICC.
White House has said that it does not support an ICC probe.
“We’ve been really clear about the ICC investigation, that we don’t support it, we don’t believe that they have the jurisdiction,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Separately, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has said his country would “not bow our heads or be deterred” by the ICC’s expected action.
“If the warrants are issued, they will harm the commanders and soldiers of the IDF (Israeli army) and provide a morale boost to the terrorist organization Hamas and the axis of radical Islam led by Iran against which we are fighting,” said Katz.
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